October 20th, 2021 is World Osteoporosis Day.
Did you know that your bones are living, growing tissues that are meant to last a lifetime? Unfortunately, osteoporosis appears to be a modern-day health issue. Anyone can be at risk of developing osteoporosis, but those at greatest risk are women having gone through menopause or just being older. If you are Caucasian or Asian, small and thin, and a family history of osteoporosis your risk increases.
There are some diseases that increase the risk which include hyperthyroidism, kidney disorders, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and celiac disease. As a result of these conditions bone turnover or malabsorption issues may develop.
Prevention
Maintaining a nutrient diet is crucial for bone health. Minerals are very important for bone health. Deficiencies in calcium, magnesium, zinc, manganese, copper, boron, and silicon can negatively affect the bones.
- Calcium is the most common mineral referred to when supplementing for bone health. Food is the best source which can include organic or raw dairy products, dark green leafy vegetables, almonds, seeds, broccoli, kelp, and seaweeds. When supplementing, it is really best to work with a coach or professional as you are an individual with specific dietary needs.
- Magnesium is a critical cofactor for about 400 enzyme reactions in the body. It is also stimulates the absorption of calcium in to the bones. Supplementation of magnesium is very important not only for your bones but as you can see many other processes. Food sources include leafy greens, kelp, seaweeds, nuts, seeds, brown rice, and whole grains. These are just two minerals that are important for healthy bones.
Things to Avoid
Just as there are foods that can enhance your bone health, there are foods that can adversely affect bone health. In addition, certain foods can deplete calcium and other minerals. These can include acid-forming foods. These foods promote a tendency toward acidosis in the blood stream. Unfortunately, to counteract this, calcium and other minerals are withdrawn from the bones.
These are foods such as white flour, white rice, refined sugar, and high fructose corn syrup. Ultimately, they will contribute to bone weakness. Other things that can cause oxidative stress and negatively affect bone health are the heavy use of caffeine, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, excessive exercise, and environmental toxins such as metals, air pollution, and agricultural chemicals.
Wrap Up
In other words, osteoporosis is a preventable illness if appropriate dietary and lifestyle measures are followed. Building healthy, strong bones is a life-long priority. By choosing dietary and lifestyle factors that promote bone health and avoid those that leach calcium from the bone are great investments in your health. Check out another post I did about apples and your bone health. If you would like to delve even deeper in to improving your bone health. The National Osteoporosis Foundation has a great online brochure you can check out here.
Today, or any day for that matter, is a great day to start building strong bones. What are you doing to build healthy bones?
Be blessed and be a blessing,
Heather
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